New York State Body Recommends Legislation to Outlaw Discrimination in Employment

January 30, 1945

Albany, N. Y (Jan. 29)

Legislation which would make New York State the first in the nation to establish a legally-constituted anti-discrimination commission with powers to enforce its directives was urged today in a report submitted by the Temporary State Commission Against Discrimination. It is expected that such legislation will be introduced in the Assembly and Senate this week.

Under the plan, on which the temporary commission worked for seven months, an employer or labor union or any one else found guilty of discriminating in employment against any person for “race, color, creed or national origin” may be sentenced to a year in jail, or fined $500, or both. Five members would be appointed to the proposed permanent commission at salaries of $10,000 a year. They would be required to devote their time exclusively to their commission work.

In addition to sitting as commissioners passing upon the merit of complaints of discrimination in employment, the commission members would be authorized to promote local or state-wide campaigns of education on the evils of all discrimination, and to organize local or state-wide advisory agencies of volunteer citizens dedicated to fight all discrimination.